Soda fountain cabinet



Sept. 22, 1931. A. w. Pur-'FER SODA FOUNTAIN CABINET Filed Feb. 15, 1928 3l Sheets-Sheet l M. wk EN Q QM Wis@ Sept. 22, 1931. A. w. Pur-FER SODA FOUNTAIN CABINET Filed Feb. l5, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 S45/MMM@ W15-JW?.

A, w.` PUFFER SODA FOUNTAIN CABINET Filed Feb, 13, 1928 Sept. 22, 1931.

Patented Sept. 22, 1931 ,STATES .PATE-Nr OFFICE ALVIN W. BUFFER, OF M FDFORD, MASSACEISETTSLASSIGNOR TO yFU'FEEIR, 'MANU- FACTURNG COMPANY, OF WINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE SODA FOUNTAIN CABINET Application `filed. February1 13, 1928. Serial No. 253,958.

rllhis invention relates 1to a soda fountain cabinet and has for its object to provide a cabinet of Amaximum efficiency, iwhich `can be installed and operated at minimum cost and one in which the cooling compartment 'for syrup jars and the like is subjected,

withoutthe use of a pump, toa temperature approximating the freezing point of water by means of a body of liquid refrigerant external to said cooling compartment and maintained Vat a temperature below the freezing point of water.

To this end, the cabinet is provided `with a container for a bodyof liquid refrigerant, .1r such as brine, which container' is provided with a substantially horizontal member ylocatedadjacent to the syrup-jar-cooling compartment and substantially of the same length as the cooling compartment, and the other member of said container is inhopen communication vith the first-mentioned ."iember and forms a reservoir or well for the liquid refrigerant.

The reservoir or well may and preferably will contain an expansion chamber `for maintainii the body of liquid refrigerantin the container at a refrigerating temperature.

The substantially horizontal member of the container may have its end removed from the well connected wth `the latter 4near the bottom thereoffor thermally circulating the body of liquid `refrigerant through the con- 'tainer as will be described.

'The invention is `particularly serviceable vwhen embodied in a substantially long cabinet having a `pluralityfof main compart- 'ments, and in the present instance it is shown as embodied in a relatively 'long cabi- 'nct having a refrigerating compartment for containing ice cream cans and like recep- -tacleswhose contents are to be vmaintained in solid form, and a second compartment for receiving milk and like `bottled `goods Whose contents are to be -maintained in liquid form, and having the -syrup-jar-cool ing compartment ez-:tended for aQsubstantial part of the length of the cabinet, and open at its top for the ready insertion and removal `of the syrup jars by the operator ydispensing soda.

These and other features ofithis vinvention will be pointed out iin the claims at the end of this specification.-

1 is a `plan view of a-soda fountain embodying this invention;

Fig. 2, a rear elevation of the soda :fountain shownin Fig. l.; y Fig. 3, section on 4the line 3 3, Fig. '1, looking ltoward the left;

Fig l, a section on the 'line 4 4, Fig. 1, looking `toward `Vthe right;

F ig. '5, a section on the line 5 5, Fig. 1,

The Cabinetherein shownisprovide'd with -a yplurality of main compartments, herein shown as two .innumber, and marked v17, yQ18.

These compartments are substantially 0b- -long in shape and areseparated `from the bottomrand upright walls of the cabinet by layers or Walls 19 ofcork or other heat-'insulating material.

The compartments 17, 18 are also lseparated from each vother .by va `transverse wall 20 of heat-insulating material.

The 'compartment 17 is designed to have 4a relatively `low yrefrigerating temperature, pre'ferably aboutfo F. and will be hereinafter referred to as the refrigerating comlpart-ment,-:whereas fthe compartment `18 is designed to have a temperature approximating the freezing point and preferably from-32O to. 349 F. and ywill be hereinafter designated as the cold compartment.

. hese different temperatures .may be `0btained and maintained preferably in a manner as willbe described.

rlhe compartment 17 in the form ofa tank is filled `or substantially lled with brine or other suitable refrigerating liquid ,23

(see Fig. 4), which is maintained at the proper temperature by an expansion chamber, herein shown as a closed vessel 24 having a series of pipes 25 connected therewith, said vessel being of suitable shape to permit it to be inserted into the tank or compartment 17 through an opening in the rear wall 26 thereof (see Fig. 1), and to be supported by a cover plate 27 which closes the said opening liquid-tight and is secured to the rear wall ofthe compartment by screws 28 or otherwise.

The expansion chamber 24, 25 is connected by suitable inlet and outlet pipes 29, 30 with a refrigerating unit or plant, which is located outside of the soda fountain and is not herein shown as it may be of any suitable or usual construction.

The cabinet is also provided with a cooling compartment 32, preferably extended substantially the length of the cabinet and open at its top for the reception of syrup jars 33 and the like, and preferably contains a body 34 of water, usually termed sweet water into which the syrup jars and the like are partially immersed.

The cooling compartment 32 is also designed to have placed in it containers 35 for charged water and a cooling coil 36 connected with containers 35 and with draft.

arms 37 located above the top of the cabinet.

The present invention has for its object to subject the cooling compartment 32 to a temperature approximating the freezing temperature of water and maintain it at such temperature without the use of a pump and by means of a body of liquid refrigerant external to said cooling compartment.

To this end the cooling compartment 32 has co-eperating with it a container for a body of liquid refrigerant, said container being provided with a member 40 extended lengthwise of the cooling compartment 32, preferably for the entire length of the latter and in proximity thereto, and said container is provided with a second member, preferably in the form of a vertically arranged well or reservoir 41 having its upper end in open communication with the member 40. Y

The reservoir or Well 41 is located within the cabinet at one end thereof and is separated from the cold compartment 18 by a Ywall 42 of heat-insulating material, and from the Vwalls of the cabinet by the layers 19 of heat-insulating material.

The container' member 40 is preferably made so that the refrigerant therein contacts with the bottom wall 43 of the cooling compartment 32 and is herein shown as T-shaped in cross section (see Figs. 3 and 4), and the head of the T-shaped member is preferably arranged so that one side wall 44 thereof forms part of a side wall of the cold compartment 18. The body of liquid refrigerant 54 in the container 40, 41, preferably brine, is maintained at a refrigerating temperature, to wit: below the freezing point of water, but which may be below the freezing point only sufficiently to enable the cold imparted to the cooling compartment 32 to maintain the syrup jars 33 cool or at a temperature above but relatively close to the freezing point.

For this purpose it is preferred to provide the reservoir or well 41 with an'expansion chamber similar to that used in the refrigerating compartment 17 and comprising a vessel 46 and pipes 47 connected therewith, which expansion chamber is attached to a cover plate .48 secured to the rear wall of the reservoir or well 41.

The expansion chamber 46, 47 may and preferably will be connected with the refrigerating plant or unit outside of the soda fountain, and provision is made for controlling the refrigeration of the expansion chamber 46, 47 independently of the expansion chamber 24, 25 for the compartment 17, and to this end the expansion chamber 46, 47 is provided with an inlet pipe 50 and an outlet pipe 51, and the inlet pipe 50 is tapped off from the inlet pipe 29 for the expansion chamber 24, 25 and is provided with an expansion valve 52, preferably a thermostatically-operated valve of known construction, which may be located in the compartment 18, represented in Fig. 3, and is responsive to temperature changes in said compartment.`

Preferably the expansion valve 52 is set or adjusted to close when the temperature of the compartment 18 falls to 32o F. and to open when it reaches 34O F.

rlhe body of liquid refrigerant 5i in the container may be a static body or it may be made to circulate thermally througi the container, as herein shown.

To this end, the end= of the container member 40 remote from the well or container member 41 is connected by a downwardinclined pipe 57 with the well 41 near the bottom of the latter, and said pipe is preferably arranged to contact with an outside wall of the refrigerating compartment 17 and of the cold compartment 18 (see Figs. 2, 3 and 4). As a result of this arrangement, the liquid refrigerant 54 in the portion of the pipe 57 in contact with `the refrigerating compartment 17 is subjected to a much lower temperature than is Vthe rest of the refrigerant, and is thereby caused to circulate from the well 41 through the jacket or member 40 and the pipe 57 back to the well 41.

This circulation may be termed a thermal circulation.

It will be seen that the cooling compartment 32 is cooled by a body of liquid refrigerant external to said compartment and without the use of apump rfor such purpose, andth'at said ,cooling compartment lis subjected 'to such bod-y `of irefrigerant forsubstantially its entire lengtlnand that the body of liquid refrigerant Imay be maintained at a temperature close tothe freezinglpoint and at such relatively 'low temperature `as Eto ensure the contents of the syrup jarsorthe like in `the cooling compartment being kept cool under all conditions of use.

The hollow leg portion 63 of the refrigerant container is encased inthe heat-insulatingmaterial 19 (see lFigs. 3 and 4).

The. compartment 17 is designed to receive cams 60 containing ice cream and the like, which are placed in auxiliary tanks or receptacles 61 located in the compartment 17 with ithe upper .ends above the level 'of the Ybrine in Asaid compartment, as represented in Fig. 4.

@ne embodiment of Vthe invention is herein shown, but it is not desired to limit the `invention .to the construction shown.

What l vclaim is:

1. ln a soda fountain cabinet, in combination, cooling compartment extended in the direction of the length of the cabinet, a container for a body of liquid refrigerant having members arranged at an angle to each other-and one of which is extended in `the direction of the length of the cooling compartment and external thereto to have the liquid refrigerant `therein contact with the bottom wall of said cooling compartment, and the other of which 'forms a well,

a ai e connectinoa the lower'end lof the said .well with the lirstnamed member at a point` 4removed from the said well, and a klow 'temperature refrigerating compartment ther- .mally `connected with said pipe at a vpoint removed from said well.

2. Vlnva soda fountain cabinet, in combination, `a cooling compartment for syrup jars and the like, a container for a body of liq- .uid refrigerant external to said cooling compartment and extended substantially the length-of the latter and having the refrig- `erant'therein contacting with a wall of said `compartment to cool the same, and means for maintaining' the body of liquid refrigerant within the container at a refrigerating temperature, and `a low vtemperature refrigerating compartment thermally connected with said container for effecting circulation of the liquid refrigerant therein.

i3. Vln a soda fountain cabinet, in combination, a relatively low temperature refrigerating compartment, a cooling compart- -ment'for syrup jars'and the like, a container for liquid refrigerant external tosaid cooling compartment and thermally connected therewith and extended -lengthwise thereof, belowfthe. same, and the pipe communicating with 'the said'container .to receive Lliquid refrigerant .and arranged ywith relationto the Ysaid refrigerating .compartment external 'thereto .to have 'the liquid 'refrigerant .in said pipe subjected 4to the low temperature L'of said refrigerating compartment.

4l. In a soda fountain eabinet,7in combina tion, a cooling :compartment .extended lengthwise of said cabinet, a container for 4liquid refrigerant located below said coolingcompartment and havingitsupper wall forming the bottom wall of said cooling compartment, and a refrigerating compartment non-communicating with said container but cooperating therewith ito lower `the temperature-of .the liquid refrigerantin said con- Ltainer.

5. In a soda fountain cabinet, in combination, container for vliquid .refrigerant comprising a substantially horizontal member, -a vertically arranged :member or well with which one vend of said horizontal member communicates near the top of said well, and -a return pipe connecting the opposite end of. said horizontal member with `the said well near the bottom thereof, a coolingconivpartment arranged with relation to saidsubstantially `horizontal member to be cooled by the liquid refrigerant therein, and a refrigerating compartment coeoperating with said return pipe to subject refrigerant in the latter to a relatively low temperature and thereby establish and maintain circulation of said liquid .refrigerant through said conduit.

6. In a soda fountain cabinet, in combination, a cooling compartment extended lengthwise of saidcabinet, a container for the circulation of a liquid refrigerant hav- Ving va hollow substantially T-shaped section arranged below said cooling compartment,

`and co-operating therewith for cooling it, .and a cold compartment having a portion of -one of its Ywalls formed by a wall of the head of the T-shaped section of said con- 7. In a soda fountain cabinet, lin combination, a relatively low temperature refrigerating compartment, and a cold compartment separated by a wall of heat-insulatingmateriah an expansionchaniber in said relatively low .temperature refrigerating compartment, arcooling compartment extended lengthwise of said cabinet for .substantially vertical member or well with .the upper end of wlrich said horizontal Amember is connected,.a return pipe connect- -ing the opposite end of said horizontal mem- -ber with the said well near the bottom of the latter, said .return pipe having a portion thereof arranged with relation to the low temperature refrigerating compartment to be subjected to therelatively low temperature thereof and effect circulation of the liquid refrigerant through said container, and an expansion chamber in said well.

8. In a soda fountain cabinet, in combination, a relatively low temperature refrigerating compartment, and a Cold compartment separated by a wall of heat-insulating material, an expansion chamber in said relatively low temperature refrigerating compartment,a cooling compartment extended lengthwise of said cabinet for substantially the length of said refrigerating and cold compartments, a container for liquid refrigerant external to said cooling compartment, and co-operating with the low temperature refrigerating rcompartment to effect circulation of liquid refrigerant in said container, the latter having a substantially horizontal member extended lengthwise of saidcooling compartment to cool the same and a substantially vertical well with the upper end of which said horizontal member is connected, and an expansion chamber in said well.

9. ln a soda fountain cabinet, in combination, a relatively low temperature refrigerating compartment, a cold compartment substantially in line with said refrigerating compartment, an expansion chamber in said refrigerating compartment, a cooling compartment extended lengthwise of said cabinet substantially parallel with said refrigerating and cold compartments and open at its upper portion for the insertion of syrup jars and the like, a container for liquid refrigerant having a portion thereof extended lengthwise of said cooling compartment -d thermally connected therewith to cool the saine and provided wi 'l1 a substantially vertical portion constituting a well for said liquid refrigerant, and an expansion chamber in said well, the portion of said container extended lengthwise of said cooling compartment being` arranged with relation to sait refrigerating compartment to be coole( thereby and effect circulation of the liquid refrigerant in said container.

l0. ln a soda fountain cabinet, in combination, a relatively low temperature refrigerating compartment, a cold compartment substantially in line with said refrigerai compartment, an expansion chamber in said refrigerating'.compartment, a cooling compart nent ext-ended lengthwise of 'd cabinet substantl ly parallel with said roirigerating and cold compartments and ofen at its upper portion for the insertion o" syrup jars and the like, a container for liquid refrigerant having a portion thereof extended lengthwise of said cooling compartment and thermally connected therewith to cool' the same and provided with a substantially vertical portion constituting a -well for said liquid refrigerant, the portion of said container extended lengthwise of said cooling compartment being arranged with relation to said refrigerating compartment to be cooled thereby and effect circulation of the liquid refrigerant in said container.

ll. In a soda fountain cabinet, in combination, a relatively low temperature refrieferating compartment, a cold compartment substantially in line with said refrigerating compartment, an expansion chamber in said refrigerating compartment, a cooling compartment extended lengthwise of said cabinet substantially parallel with said refrigerating and cold compartments and open at its upper portion for the insertion of syrup jars andthe like, a container for liquid refrigerant having a portion thereof extended lengthwise of said cooling compartment and thermally connected therewith to cool the same and provided with a substantially vertical portion constituting a well for said liquid refrigerant, said container being arranged in proximity with said refrigerating compartment to be cooled thereby and effect circulation of liquid refrigerant therein.

l2. ln a soda fountain cabinet, in combination, a relatively low temperature refrigerating compartment, a cold compartment substantially in line with said refrigerating compartment, an expansion chamber in said refrigerating compartment, a cooling compartment extended lengthwise of said cabinet substantially parallel with said refrigerating and cold compartments and open at its upper portion for the insertion of syrup ars and the like, a container for liquid refrigerant having a portion thereof extended lengthwise of said cooling compartment and provided with a substantially vertical portion constituting a well for said liquid refrigerant, and an expansion chamber in said well, said container being thermally connected with all of said compartments for effecting circulation of the liquid refrigerant therein and for effecting cooling of the cold compartment and said cooling compartment.

13. In a soda fountain cabinet, in combination, a relatively low temperature refrigerating compartment, an expansion chamber in said refrigerating compartment, a cooling compartment capable of containing a liquid and openat its upper portion for the insertion of syrup ars and the like, a container for a body of liquid refrigerant external to said cooling compartment and co-operating therewith to cool the same and thermally connected with said low temperature refrigerating compartment, and an expansion chamber located in said external container for refrigerating the body of liquid refrigerant therein.

14. In a soda fountain cabinet, in conibination, a relatively low temperature refrigerating compartment, an expansion chamber in said refrigerating compartment, a cooling compartment capable of containing a liquid and open at its upper portion for the insertion of syrup jarsL and the like, a container for a body of liquid refrigerant external to said cooling compartment and co-operating therewith to cool the same, and means for effecting a thermal connection between said container and said low temperature refrigerating compartment for effecting a circulation of the liquid refrigerant in said container,

15. In' a soda fountain cabinet, `in combination, a relatively low temperature refrigerating compartment, an expansion chamber in said refrigerating compartment, a cooling compartment provided with an elongated portion, a Container for a body of liquid refrigerant also having an elongated portion thermally connected with the elongated portion of said cooling compartment to cool the Same, and means for thermally connecting said container with the low temperature refrigerating compartment for effecting a circulation of the liquid refrigerant in said container.

16. In a soda fountain cabinet, in combination, a cooling compartment, a closed conduit for liquid refrigerant external to said cooling compartment and having a member below the bottom wall of said compart-ment to cooperate and in thermal connection therewith, and a low temperature refrigerating compartment cooperating with a portion of said closed conduit to effect circulation of the liquid refrigerant therein.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALVIN W. PUFFER. 

